Glucosamine Sulphate

...and urging me to take glucosamine sulphate. Which brings me to the point of this review. I have been taking glucosamine daily on this advice ever since that appointment and after over half a year, I feel able to pass on my considered opinion on this product.

But what on Earth is glucosamine sulphate?

Glucosamine is an extract taken from shellfish, strangely enough. Yes, that surprised me, too! Our bodies need glucosamine ...
...is not to say that glucosamine acts as an analgesic - rather, it repairs the part of the joint that was causing the pain in the first place. Therefore, glucosamine doesn't just mask pain; it actively helps your body to tackle the root cause of the problem. The link between glucosamine and arthritis was particularly important for me as I do have a family history of arthritis. My doctor did suggest to me that taking glucosamine may have a preventative ... more

There is a saying in Wales: old age doesn't come on its own.

After arriving on the wrong side of 25 (as my mother says, its all downhill from there), my joints started playing up, almost on cue. To be more precise, they made rather alarming clicking and popping sounds at irregular intervals, loud enough for other people to look at me as if I was about to crumble into dust in front of them. Most of these incidences weren't painful (thankfully), but the development of these bizarre noises did trouble me, as you might expect. I had always been used to my left wrist causing me problems - I had broken it badly as a child and the fracture slipped when setting - and the aches, pains, cracking sounds and general weakness from this joint were unfortunately quite normal for me. Equally, my knee had not been quite right since I sprained it a couple of years ago (I should really have been given crutches, as I'm sure walking around on it did me no good at all). I had previously consulted doctors on these matters, and they had been dismissed time and again as "just one of things". The best I got was a cheerful, "you'll probably get arthritis in that wrist when you're older, you know". Gee, thanks.

My latest foray to the medical profession about my dodgy joints came a few months ago. As some of you may know, I am currently writing my PhD thesis, which involves considerable amounts of typing…as a result of which, I had strained my good wrist. <Sigh>. This doctor finally took my problems seriously though, bundling me off to a physiotherapist and urging me to take glucosamine sulphate. Which brings me to the point of this review. I have been taking glucosamine daily on this advice ever since that appointment and after over half a year, I feel able to pass on my considered opinion on this product.

But what on Earth is glucosamine sulphate?

Glucosamine is an extract taken from shellfish, strangely enough. Yes, that surprised me, too! Our bodies need glucosamine to maintain healthy cartilage, tendons and other joint tissues. We do make it ourselves, but the ability to manufacture adequate amounts of it can be lost, and it is currently believed that this could be a trigger for joint pain and degenerative joint disease. There is no natural food source for glucosamine, which is why it has to be manufactured from shellfish.

This supplement has been studied in humans for over 40 years, producing good evidence that it is beneficial to joints, promoting good function and mobility by providing the proper material for repair and rebuilding of connective tissues. Taking supplements of it has been proven to regrow cartilage and be effective in reducing joint pains; studies of arthritis patients have found it to be at least as effective as aspirin and ibuprofen in controlling pain, and without most of the side effects associated with these drugs. This is not to say that glucosamine acts as an analgesic - rather, it repairs the part of the joint that was causing the pain in the first place. Therefore, glucosamine doesn't just mask pain; it actively helps your body to tackle the root cause of the problem. The link between glucosamine and arthritis was particularly important for me as I do have a family history of arthritis. My doctor did suggest to me that taking glucosamine may have a preventative effect in this regard, but I have found no scientific studies to back this up. This aspect of glucosamine is still unproven.

Glucosamine sulphate has a very good safety record and it can be tolerated very well by most people (around 95% of the population). However, you should consult your doctor if you are allergic to shellfish (the source of the supplement) or are diabetic (as glucosamine is a type of sugar), and pregnant women should avoid it altogether. I have heard of some American manufactures managing to produce glucosamine from corn, but I don't know if it is available in the UK yet or how effective it is.

Incidentally, there is another form of glucosamine available in the shops: glucosamine HCL. There is a discussion over which form of glucosamine is "better", but from what I have read, the answer is simply that they both deliver equally effective amounts of the desired glucosamine to your joints. The principle difference between the two that I have found is that the sulphate form was the one used in European clinical safety studies; although the researchers that did this work clearly attributed their results to the "glucosamine" rather than the "sulphate", this form tends to dominate European supplies due to these studies. In other words, it is more a marketing than a clinical advantage. The difference between the two forms in a practical sense is that the sulphate form is a bit less stable in the long run than the HCL version, but that should only affect people who plan to buy in bulk for the very long term! I personally have never taken the HCL form, so I cannot offer personal comment as to availability and effectiveness.

So what is my considered opinion? Well, after six months of pill-popping my joints do feel better. My left wrist, which usually aches over winter, has not troubled me so far this year and my joints pop and click far less than they did before I started to take glucosamine. The two joints I damaged are not 100%, but there is certainly a noticeable improvement. I should mention that some other factors may have contributed to this improvement - I have lost weight and have been doing the exercises that my physiotherapist gave me - so these improvements might not be wholly attributable to taking glucosamine. However, I have felt it to be beneficial and I would happily recommend it to any readers with similar problems, but please remember to consult your GP first, especially if you are already on medication. Although this is an over-the-counter and generally safe supplement, it is always good to take medical advice before starting such a course.

Glucosamine sulphate supplements are very widely available. My advice for selecting one is:
1. Choose products made by established companies that you have heard of. Some poor quality products contain up to 30% salt.
2. Most places recommend a dosage of at least 1000mg to get the benefits I mention above. However this can mean quite large tablets that are difficult to swallow, so you may want to look for a brand that offers tablets with a "break line" (such as Vega) or give you several smaller tablets to take over the course of the day. Liquid glucosamine is also available, but this costs more than tablets.
3. Prices vary widely, so shop around (although make sure you are comparing the same strength products).
4. If you have any queries about strength or ingredients, consult your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
5. Be prepared to buy at least a month's worth of tablets. It will take at least this long to assess whether they benefit you or not (preferably, go for 6 weeks to 2 months before making your mind up).

The major problem associated with taking glucosamine is the cost of it: it is classified as a supplement, so will never be available on prescription or through medical insurance. If you want it, you have to pay for it! As a price guide, you will be looking to pay in the region of £10 to £20 a month for a supply of tablets, depending on their strength. As you can see, products vary widely, so you need to make sure you know what you want:

1. Holland & Barrett: £19.99 for 60 tablets (1000mg)
2. Health Perception Glucosamax: £19.99 for 30 tablets (1500mg)
3. Pharmacy 2 U: £11 for 90 tablets (1000mg)
4. Boots: £8.99 for 30 tablets (750mg)

Useful Websites:
www.ounceofprevention.com/wow/gs500.htm
www.glucosamine-arthritis.org/glucosamine/
www.bbc.co.uk/health/healthy_living/complementary_medicine/

 

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